Madurai (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 17 : Congress MP Manickam Tagore hit out at Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagendran over his remark regarding Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay and actor Trisha, calling them cheap and unacceptable, while demanding action.
Speaking to reporters on the controversy, Tagore said, "It's a very unfortunate thing that the disease which has spread in the BJP and RSS is spreading to the district level, particularly in Tamil Nadu. The state president, Nainar Nagenthran, spoke words which cannot be spoken by a political leader against women."
"The same thing has been done to the elected member of parliament from Karur by the BJP district secretary and district presidents in a public meeting, is unacceptable, and the FIR has been lodged, and I hope that Tamil Nadu police arrest those who had done these kind of cheap things," Tagore said.
Calling for condemnation across party lines, he added, "We all should condemn these kind of behaviors by any kind of people who insult the women and particularly a member of parliament as well as any common woman, whomever is in any profession, may be journalism or teacher or anybody who is a woman should not be treated this way which in which RSS and BJP continue to do and Prime Minister Modi keeps silence."
The controversy erupted after Nagendran recently made a personal reference to Trisha while criticising Vijay, who has launched his political party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). Trisha and Vijay has worked on several films together.
DMK Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi NVN Somu said criticising the personal life of someone active in politics is "uncivilised" and degrading to women. DMK MP Tamizhachi Thangapandian also criticised the BJP leader, stating that speaking disparagingly about a woman travelling in public while expressing political views was not appropriate and that women should be treated with dignity.
On Monday, actress Trisha Krishnan took strong objection to remarks made by Tamil Nadu BJP Chief Nainar Nagendran when he was speaking about actor-turned-politician Vijay.
A statement issued by advocate Nithyaesh Natraj and shared on Trisha's Instagram account described the remarks as "distasteful."
Without referring to anybody by name, Trisha's lawyer in a statement said, " 1. This is with reference to the distasteful comment about my client which is circulating in the media. 2. My client never expected that such distasteful and inappropriate remark would be made by a person holding a high stature in the State's political space. 3. My client makes it very clear that she is not affiliated with any political party neither does she intend to be. Further, just as my client had continuously maintained in the past, she has always taken a neutral stand when it comes to politics."